redspotted flathead

description

Description. Counts and measurements shown in Table 3. Data for all specimens presented first, followed by lectotype condition in parentheses. Snout, area anteroventral to eye, interorbit and occipital region scaled; lower half of suborbital region naked. Snout shorter than orbital diameter in 88 mm SL or smaller specimens, longer in larger specimens (including lectotype). Interorbit narrower than orbital diameter in 419 mm SL or smaller specimens, wider in larger specimens (including lectotype). Upper iris lappet simple, triangular; lower simple, weakly convex. Nasal spine usually absent (including lectotype), rarely one spine present in one specimen (323 mm SL). One suborbital spine usually present below posterior margin of eye in 242 mm SL or smaller specimens, absent in larger specimens (including lectotype); one additional suborbital spine present below and slightly anterior to middle of eye in 133 mm and 166 mm SL specimens. Lower preopercular spine about equal in length to upper spine in smallest (73.0 mm SL) specimen, or slightly longer than upper but not reaching opercular margin in larger specimens (including lectotype). A supplemental preopercular spine present in some s

Taxonomic revision of the flathead fish genus Platycephalus Bloch, 1785 (Teleostei: Platycephalidae) from Australia, with description of a new species

diagnosis

Diagnosis. A species of Platycephalus with the following combination of characters: second dorsal- and analfin rays usually 14; gill rakers 4 – 6 + 13 – 15 = 19 – 21; interorbital width 5.9 – 16.6 % HL; suborbital width 7.6 – 11.8 % HL; a finger-like interopercular flap present; upper jaw without large caniniform teeth; caudal fin with three to six dark brown to black bars and / or spots posteriorly.

Taxonomic revision of the flathead fish genus Platycephalus Bloch, 1785 (Teleostei: Platycephalidae) from Australia, with description of a new species

discussion

Remarks. Platycephalus caeruleopunctatus bears most similarities to P. speculator in having usually 14 second dorsal- and anal-fin rays, a finger-like interopercular flap, and the caudal fin with three to six dark brown to black bars and / or spots posteriorly (two to four black spots irregularly positioned posteroventrally in 155 mm SL or smaller specimens, or with three or four black spots serially arranged posteroventrally along caudal fin margin in larger specimens in P. speculator). This combination of characters was not apparent in other species of Platycephalus. However, P. caeruleopunctatus has 19 – 21 gill rakers in total (11 – 14 in P. speculator), plus a broader interorbit (width 5.9 – 16.6 % HL in vs. 5.8 – 14.6 % HL in P. speculator) and suborbital region (suborbital width 7.6 – 11.8 % HL vs. 6.1 – 10.0 % HL), which largely separates the two species (Fig. 10).

Taxonomic revision of the flathead fish genus Platycephalus Bloch, 1785 (Teleostei: Platycephalidae) from Australia, with description of a new species

distribution

Distribution. Known from southeastern Australia, from off Calliope River, Qld (24 ° 01 ’ S) to outside Murray River mouth, SA (138 ° E), occurring in coastal bays and estuaries to offshore sand flats in depths from 5 to 100 m (e. g., Last et al., 1983; Kuiter, 1993; Hoese et al., 2006; this study). Size. Maximum length recorded 68 cm (Hutchins & Swainston, 1986). The largest specimen examined during the present study was 504 mm SL (573 mm TL) (Fig. 8).

Taxonomic revision of the flathead fish genus Platycephalus Bloch, 1785 (Teleostei: Platycephalidae) from Australia, with description of a new species